OMSI USS Blueback Submarine Top Deck

Description

Docked at OMSI on the Willamette River in Portland, OR - The USS Blueback is open for touring, but this view from the Top Deck is rare.

USS Blueback: The Real Thing

OMSI is home to the U.S. Navy's last non-nuclear, fast-attack submarine, the USS Blueback (SS-581). The Blueback was the first battle-ready class of submarines to use the teardrop hull. It was in official operation throughout the Pacific Ocean for 31 years. The USS Blueback served in the entertainment industry, too! It appeared in the hit movie The Hunt for Red October and an episode of Hawaii Five-O and has been used as a location for a Discovery Channel documentary and various commercials.

For more information, call the submarine hotline 503.797.4624

USS Blueback (SS-581) was a Barbel-class submarine in the United States Navy. She was one of three in her class, the last diesel-electric propelled submarines built by the United States Navy. They incorporated numerous, radical engineering improvements over previous classes and were the first production warships built with the teardrop-shape hull and “attack center” within the hull rather than a conning tower in the sail.

Blueback is the common name for the Sockeye Salmon. When the Blueback was commissioned, submarines were named after fish. Since the 1970’s, most U.S. Navy submarines have been named after cities or states.

Blueback appeared in the movie The Hunt for Red October, although it did not perform the famous stunt of “jumping” out of the water during an emergency surfacing procedure. According to one source, the Blueback was used because it was the last active sub with six forward torpedo tubes.